Apparel carrier



June 11, 1963 R. A. HORTON 3,

APPAREL CARRIER Filed June 5, 1962 1 Ilium I INVENTOR. RALPH A. HORTON BYC(;

Al IORNEY This invention relates to an apparel carrier and particularly to a carrier for neckties or similar slender articles and is an improvement over my U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,000,513, issued September 19, 1961.

The invention contemplates an open frame for the support of a plurality of neckties or the like and with a clamping rail movable to clamp the neckties against slipping with respect to the rail and with the neckties being subsequently rolled around the frame for convenient carrying, as in traveling and with the device also embodying a suspension hook whereby the frame and the supported neckties may be suspended from any suitable support.

The invention contemplates a generally rectangular frame having a lower rail for the support of the ties, an intermediate rail slidable upon the frame and with the intermediate rail also carrying a suspension hook and whereby the lower rail is biased to yieldable engagement with the supported neckties.

The invention also contemplates a support or carrying device for neckties or other slender flexible articles that includes an open frame of U-shape-construction and with the frame carrying a lower channel member in which is disposed a yieldable substance, such as foam rubber and a clamping bar slidable with respect to the frame and with the clamping bar having a suspension hook whereby the device may be suspended on a clothes rail in a closet or other suspension means or with the clamping bar being shiftable downwardly by the suspension hook to compressibly engage the articles that are draped over the foam rubber pad to effectively prevent them from slipping and with the suspension hook, when the bar is in clamping position to engage and lock with respect to the frame whereby to hold the clamping bar in its engagement with the articles.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated the preferred forms of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an apparel carrier constructed in accordance with the invention and with the device in the open position for reception of articles to be supported,

FIGURE 2 is a similar view with the device in the op erative position to clamp suspended articles against slipr FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on line '66 of FIGURE 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, there has been provided an open U-shaped frame 5, embodying a horizontal rail 6 and integral right angularly disposed legs 7. The frame 5 may be formed of any desirable material such as alurninum and may be formed as either tubular or solid.

Connected to the lower ends of the legs 7 is a channel member 8. The terminal ends of the legs 7 may be con- 3,93,246 Patented June 11, 1963 nected in any desirable manner to the end portions of the channel 8, such as indicated at 9 in FIGURE 5 whereby the channel 8 is fixedly held with respect to the legs 7 and parallel to the rail 6. Although the legs 7 have been indicated as being riveted to the channel 8, it will be apparent that other means for connecting the legs to the channel may be found desirable such as threading the lower ends of the legs 7 to be engaged by nuts or the like whereby the channel could be adjustably connected to the legs to accommodate more or less numbers of articles that are draped over the sponge rubber strip 10.

Disposed within the channel 8 is an elongated section of prefera ly foam rubber stripping 10. The stripping 10 may be cemented upon its bottom to the bottom of the channel 8 if found desirable. The stripping 10 is preferably concave at its top as indicated at 11 and the concave terminates in longitudinal beads 12, that overlie the marginal edges of the flanges of the channel 8. The strip it} constitutes a compressible non-slipping support for slender flexible articles, such as neckties that may be draped over the strip 19* to be subsequently clamped in compressible relation to the strip 10 in a manner to be presently described.

Vertically shiftable within the frame 5 is a preferably fiat clamping bar 13 being provided at its opposite ends with tubular guide sleeves 14. The guide sleeves 14 are adapted to have non-frictional sliding engagement with the legs 7 at all times. The bar 13 and the sleeves 14 are preferably molded integral from any suitable plastic material. Intermediate the length of the bar 13, there has been provided a combined lock and suspension book 15. The hook 15 upon its upper arcuate portion is grooved as at 16, and underlying snapping engagement with respect to the rail 6 such being permitted when the bar 13 has been shifted downwardly to clamp the articles upon the strip 10. The hook is provided with a shank portion 17 that is offset at 18 to permit the movement of the bar 13 upwardly without resistance from the rail 6 and whereby the hook 15 may be shifted laterally to engage the underside of the rail 6, such requiring a minimum flexibility to the shank 17. The shank 17 is also widened downwardly at 19 and flared along the bar 13 and to upper sides of the bar for additional strength between the hook and the bar, such being illustrated at 20 in FIGURES 3 and 4. The bar 13, the sleeves 14- and the hook 15 are preferably integrally molded.

In the use of the device, with the parts assembled as in FIGURES 1 and 2 and especially FIGURE 2, the hook 15 is flexed laterally to disengage it from the rail 6 at which time, the hook will assume the position shown in FIGURE 4. The hook is then lifted upwardly, carrying with it the bar 13 and the sleeves 14 to the point of the offset 18. This is clearly shown in FIGURE 1. Neckties or other slender flexible articles are then draped over the pad 1% to be suspended substantially an equal distance on each side of the pad and then the hook 15 is forced downwardly, causing the bar 13 to bind against and compress the articles into the strip 10. The compression against the articles is sufiicient to permit the hook 15 to be shifted laterally to engage its groove 16 under the rail 6 in which position, the device will be locked in position. If the individual is traveling, the neckties or other slender articles may be bodily wrapped around the frame 5, creating a relatively small flat package that may be easily disposed within the conventional suitcase. When a device is to be used for supporting the slender articles, in a conventional clothes closet, the hook is disposed as in FIGURE 1 and is capable of being supported upon the conventional clothes rod or other hook means in the closet.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel type of apparel support has been provided. The device is simple in construction, is strong, durable and most effective as a means to clamp a plurality of relatively slender articles against slipping from the foam rubber strip 10. The device readily lends itself for manufacture from various materials, such as aluminum or plastics and is relatively cheaper to manufacture in the form of the invention disclosed in the patent identified.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the in vention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparel carrier of the character described that is adapted to clampingly support a plurality of slender flexible articles such as neckties and that comprises an open U-shape frame having an upper slightly flexible cylindrical rail and a pair of integral right angularly disposed leg portions, an article clamping member that is slidably carried upon the leg portions to be shiftable in a vertical plane, a fixed lower rail of channel form and with the channel being upwardly opening, the channel being connected at its opposite extremities to the lower ends of the leg portions, a cushion pad that is pressed into the channel of the lower rail for its major length, the cushion pad seating upon the bottom of the lower rail and projecting above the lower rail and outwardly extending upon opposite sides, the cushion pad being formed of yieldable foam or sponge rubber, the clamping frame embodying a fiat bar that is parallel with the upper and lower rails, the clamping bar being provided at its opposite ends with tubular guide sleeves for traverse engagement upon the leg portions, the clamping bar and the sleeves being preferably integrally molded from plastic, a combined suspension hook and actuating means for the bar, the suspension book including an upper loop and a shank portion that is molded integral with the bar intermediate the length of the bar, the molding of the bar and the shank being such as to provide a relatively thicker reinforcing between the shank and the bar whereby to permit lateral flexing of the suspension hook, the loop of the hook being grooved upon its top portion to have snapping engagement beneath the upper rail when the clamping bar has been moved downwardly to clamp the slender articles upon the lower rail, the hook being releasable from its snapping engagement with respect to the upper rail to permit the hook to be elevated and to move the bar upwardly for releasing the clamping engagement with the articles.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the lower rail is provided with upstanding side walls and a bottom, the terminal end portions of the legs having a suitable connection at points adjacent to the ends of the lower rail, the said cushion pad in its outwardly extending upper portion being beaded and overlying the flanges of the lower rail.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the sus pension hook intermediate its height is offset laterally to permit the hook and the bar to be elevated upon the leg portions and for disposing the loop of the hook at an elevation to engage a fixed supporting device of a clothes closet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,975,543 Giessler Oct. 2, 1934 2,490,322 Pikor Dec. 6, 1949 2,633,995 Edelheit Apr. 7, 1953 2,680,543 Klein June 8, 1954 2,775,378 McLean Dec. 25, 1956 2,828,865 Vidach Apr. 1, 1958 3,000,513 Horton Sept. 19, 1961 

1. AN APPAREL CARRIER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED THAT IS ADAPTED TO CLAMPINGLY SUPPORT A PLURALITY OF SLENDER FLEXIBLE ARTICLES SUCH AS NECKTIES AND THAT COMPRISES AN OPEN U-SHAPE FRAME HAVING AN UPPER SLIGHTLY FLEXIBLE CYLINDRICAL RAIL AND A PAIR OF INTEGRAL RIGHT ANGULARLY DISPOSED LEG PORTIONS, AN ARTICLE CLAMPING MEMBER THAT IS SLIDABLY CARRIED UPON THE LEG PORTIONS TO BE SHIFTABLE IN A VERTICAL PLANE, A FIXED LOWER RAIL OF CHANNEL FORM AND WITH THE CHANNEL BEING UPWARDLY OPENING, THE CHANNEL BEING CONNECTED AT ITS OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES TO THE LOWER ENDS OF THE LEG PORTIONS, A CUSHION PAD THAT IS PRESSED INTO THE CHANNEL OF THE LOWER RAIL FOR ITS MAJOR LENGTH, THE CUSHION PAD SEATING UPON THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWER RAIL AND PROJECTING ABOVE THE LOWER RAIL AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING UPON OPPOSITE SIDES, THE CUSHION PAD BEING FORMED OF YIELDABLE FOAM OR SPONGE RUBBER, THE CLAMPING FRAME EMBODYING A FLAT BAR THAT IS PARALLEL WITH THE UPPER AND LOWER RAILS, THE CLAMPING BAR BEING PROVIDED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS WITH TUBULAR GUIDE SLEEVES FOR TRAVERSE 